"They really are Believers of the Lady of Night."
Matron Vickya showed neither alarm nor delight when she heard her subordinate's report.
As the matron of a family, Vickya knew how vast the Church of Night was. But she also knew how pleased the Spider Lady would be if they killed, defeated, and sacrificed these Believers of the Lady of Night to her. The great Spider Lady had never liked the Lady of Night.
Of course, if this had been a major force from the Church of Night, watched over by the Lady of Night from the Outer Void, Vickya would not have dared target them even if the Spider Lady had issued a divine command. Only the Spider Lady's personal descent to oversee the battle might have changed that.
But according to their intelligence, this was only the force of a single temple of the Church of Night, acting on its bishop's own initiative. If Vickya captured them and offered them to the Spider Lady, she would earn the goddess's Divine Grace.
"Olyph, take those wretched slaves and test them first."
She glanced at the male Dark Elf beside her. "Try not to die."
Because the Spider Lady favored female Dark Elves as her clergy, Dark Elf society was matriarchal. Women ruled almost every family, and society held women in honor while looking down on men. Even so, a few exceptional males always managed to stand out.
Zaknafein and Drizzt, for instance, were both exceptional male Dark Elves who had made names for themselves in a society dominated by women.
"Yes." Olyph left to carry out her order.
As the Spider Lady's Believers made their preparations, Sera, disguised as a merchant, approached her destination. She stopped at the edge of a city standing in the Underdark.
"Bamas, do you